Dark Prophet
by Nate Grey
Summary: The newest member of the Anten Seven is ordered to capture Gene & Co.  But what terrible secrets does this strange young man hold inside him?
1. Loyalty

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.

Note: Okay, "Cupid Chronicles" proved I could do funny OS stuff. Now I'm trying action stuff. Sort of. Well…just read and see. 

2nd Note: I'm aware there is another story with a similar plot (Hazanko using an assassin to get Gene & Co.), but please don't even begin to think that I stole the idea. I had been planning on writing this story for several weeks when I noticed that someone else had a similar idea. I guarantee that the stories will be different. (And, if necessary, I'll even halt production on mine and read the other to make SURE they're completely different) I despise plagiarism and will not be a part of it.

3rd Note: I'm not sure how it was explained on the show, but here, Leilong will normally be referred to as Shimi among the Anten Seven. Any of them using his real name (Leilong) should be considered a sign of great disrespect. (Notice that Hazanko almost always calls him Leilong...)

Summary: Hazanko introduces Leilong's replacement to the rest of the Anten Seven.

He has no name.

Only three things truly belong to him:

A partial memory that hints at his past

A sentient ship that knows his every thought

And the limitless power to make his dreams a nightmarish reality

He has no name, only a title:

Dark Prophet.

Dark Prophet

Chapter 1: Loyalty

"So Leilong has finally deserted us, has he?"

Lady Iraga looked up from where she crouched. "Lord?"

Hazanko blinked once. "That one had a rebel's heart. I knew he would defect, one day. It is earlier than I would've preferred, but..." He trailed off, his eyes focusing on nothing and everything all at once. "Gather your comrades, Iraga. It's time you all met Leilong's replacement."

Lady Iraga blinked in surprise. "Replacement? So soon?"

Hazanko did not punish her for questioning him...this time. "Yes. This Gene Starwind and his crew are going to become a nuisance. I want to stop them before they do any further damage to my plans. For that, I require an individual who will follow orders with hesitation or doubt."

Lady Iraga managed to hide her smirk. "As always, I am prepared to serve-"

"No," he interrupted sharply. "That task is too important for you idiots, obviously. However, if you want to prove yourself, you can start by finding Leilong and destroying him. As for Gene Starwind...he would be a perfect test for my trump card. Yes, a most excellent test, indeed."

She frowned. Lady Iraga knew nothing of this "trump card" that would replace Leilong, and of all the Anten Seven, she was Hazanko's most trusted advisor in such matters. "Lord Hazanko," she said slowly, knowing the great risk she was taking, "are you certain that such a serious situation should serve as...a test for some unknown warrior?"

Hazanko's eyes landed on her. "That is twice you have questioned me, Iraga. If I did not have all confidence in Leilong's replacement, he would not be considered. Also, he is no mere warrior. His skill is beyond anything your puny mind could possibly imagine. And if you ever dare to question my methods again, I will see to it that you serve as the replacement's next test. Is that clear?"

"Y-Yes, Lord Hazanko," she stammered.

"Good. Get out of my sight, you filthy wretch."

Lady Iraga turned and quickly left the room. She'd never seen Hazanko so angry over anything before. She was certain that he really did have all confidence in the replacement, now that she had seen his reaction to questioning it firsthand. But how could an unknown warrior possibly defeat the XGP and its crew? She, like the rest of Anten Seven, would get the chance to find out firsthand.

* * * * *

"Get up, kid. Now."

The boy grunted and forced the dark cloud away from his vision. Pain attacked every part of his body, and blood flowed freely from his mouth. He gradually raised his head to see Leilong squatting in front of him.

No. Not Leilong, he reminded himself. Always Shimi in front of the others.

Beyond Shimi, he could just make out Hitorega cleaning the blood from a sword. My blood, he realized as another round of vicious coughs hit him.

"Get up," Shimi repeated, his gaze hardening.

The boy shuddered and somehow made it to one knee, then forced himself to stand.

Shimi stood with him, smiling grimly. "Good. Now let's run the drill again."

The boy's eyes widened. "No...please...I'm so tired...it hurts to breathe..."

Shimi glanced back at Hitorega, and both Anten assassins began to laugh.

The boy blinked and leaned against the wall, trying to rest at least part of his weary body. "What's so funny?" he gasped, the air suddenly leaving him again.

"Kid, there's something you should know." Shimi grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it roughly, nearly breaking some bones. "This is a drill, but it's very real. We could've killed you if you weren't ready."

"Would've," Hitorega corrected, coming to stand beside him. "We're not pulling our punches in here."

The boy's face paled. "You...you're not?"

"Did you think we were?" Shimi asked, leaning forward.

"Well...yeah. The stuff you did really hurt, but I just figured you were holding back so you wouldn't kill me."

"No, kid," Shimi replied. "I've been fighting at my best."

"As have I," Hitorega confirmed.

"Then...why did I feel like you were holding back?"

Shimi frowned and looked away.

"W-What?" the boy asked. "What's wrong?"

"You're better," Hitorega said at last.

"I don't understand. What do you-"

"You're better than us, kid," Shimi interrupted. "Maybe not faster, but definitely stronger. Why do you think you're still alive right now?"

The boy stared at them, shock dominating his features. No. This is wrong! Shimi and Hitorega...they're stronger than me! They HAVE to be! They're part of the Anten Seven, and...and...I'm just a kid!

Hitorega suddenly grabbed him by the hair. "Listen to me. Do you know why we're pushing you like this?"

The boy slowly shook his head as best he could.

"It's because around here, you either do it right or you die. If you're ever not at the top of your game during a drill, we'll have no choice but to kill you. Hazanko won't accept anything less."

"And when he drills you, you HAVE to be ready," Shimi added. "So we have to beat you like this. If we held back, even a little, you wouldn't be strong enough to face Hazanko. Taking it easy on you would just be signing your death warrant."

The boy blinked slowly. "Does he...drill you, too?"

"Let's just say there's a reason he wears that thing and leave it at that," Shimi replied, gesturing at Hitorega's mask.

The boy swallowed noisily.

"Now. Again."

Hitorega released him, and the two assassins fell back to the other side of the room. Both armed themselves with new swords before facing him.

The boy stared at the two men. They were very different, but alike in so many ways. Both were great warriors. Both were incredibly powerful. Both had beaten him senseless, and then beaten him some more. His first reaction had been to hate them, of course.

And then he'd realized why they were only two assigned to train him. Any of the others would've gotten bored and killed him by now. But not these two, possibly the strongest of the Anten Seven. They had hurt him greatly, yes, but the wounds always closed, and most of the scars healed. He was learning, too. The way they moved, the way they fought. He would never be able to move like that, but he was starting to avoid some of the more dangerous attacks.

The boy knew with sudden clarity that they hadn't been lying earlier. The Anten Seven were supposed to be heartless, cruel, and quite creative when it came to torture. They would kill him, if he didn't try to survive. But Shimi and Hitorega weren't like the others, he knew. They enjoyed fighting, that much was obvious. But they still had hearts, though it was hard to tell sometimes. They valued things other than death and destruction. 

Somehow, the boy knew those values would eventually force Hazanko to destroy the two. Neither man could work for him forever. It was just a question of when Hazanko decided having them around was dangerous to the group.

Just like he'll decide with me one day...if I survive his first drill.

The boy made a silent promise to himself. He would get stronger, as strong as his frail, human body allowed. And then, when he had the skills to do so, he would escape Hazanko and run to wherever he would be safe. 

But I'd have to return. I'd have to give Shimi and Hitorega their freedom. Death shouldn't be the only way out of this horrible place.

"Now," Shimi said, breaking into his thoughts. 

The boy nodded and waited as the two men advanced. They were his teachers, his tormentors, and probably the closest thing to friends he would ever have. He wouldn't be afraid anymore. He would fight for them, for himself, and for freedom from Hazanko. And what didn't kill him did indeed make him stronger.

Hitorega's sword reached him first, surrounded by layers of Tao magic.

Just wish it didn't hurt so damn much...

* * * * *

"Do you know me, boy?"

His eyes opened slowly, as was expected. He'd been asleep for quite some time. "Of course, Lord Hazanko," he replied automatically.

"Excellent. Come forward now."

The restraints on his arms and legs fell away, and he stepped to the floor, quickly adjusting to his height difference. When did I get so tall...?

"Who trained you?"

"Shimi and Hitorega."

"Who do you serve?"

"Only you, Lord Hazanko."

"And what of the Anten Seven? What are they to you?"

His lips twitched slightly, possibly in the start of a smile. "Whatever you would have them be."

"Yes. Good. Very good." Hazanko's eyes darkened. "And would you turn on the ones who trained you, if I commanded it?"

"That is impossible, Lord."

Hazanko frowned. "Is it?"

"Yes. In order for me to 'turn' on them, I would first have to have some sort of allegiance with them. I have no responsibilities to anyone other than yourself."

"The you would destroy them if I ordered it?"

"Of course, Lord. I live to serve you."

Hazanko smiled. "Then everything is as it should be. Come, boy. There is work to be done."

* * * * *

Hitorega was the last to arrive. As he entered the chamber, the rest of the Anten Seven looked at him, then went back to their conversations.

Perhaps we should call ourselves the Anten Six now...unless this meeting is to replace Shimi.

As if on cue, Hanmushi turned to look at him, the top half of her mask visible behind her fan. "Tell me, Hitorega," she said quietly. "Do you know why Lord Hazanko has summoned us?"

"No, Hanmushi. I was wondering the same myself."

"As was I," Jukei added, walking over to them. "We all were, no doubt."

"It isn't your place to wonder," Lady Iraga snapped from the corner. "Just stand there and wait."

Jukei glanced over his shoulder at her, snorted, then turned back to Hitorega and Hanmushi. "Looks like the Lord's pet caught some of his wrath today."

Hanmushi nodded in agreement. "Someone should de-claw that kitty cat." Then, with her shoulders shaking slightly in laughter, she added, "I hope it's me."

If Lady Iraga heard their comments, she chose wisely not to show it.

Jukei lowered his voice a bit. "Have you heard anything of Shimi, Hitorega? Is he really dead?"

Though she was speaking with Tobeigera across the room, Hanmiyo stopped and glanced at the three before continuing the conversation.

"All signs point to yes," Hitorega stated. "And even if he wasn't, he might as well be to us. I'm surprised Hazanko hasn't sent someone after him yet."

"Be surprised no longer, Hitorega," Hazanko said as he entered the chamber. "Leilong will be taken care of. However, that is not why I called this meeting. I want you all to meet the newest member of our little group."

The young man seemed to appear out of thin air. Dark hair framed his pale face and spilled well past his shoulders. He wore only a black bodysuit, and combined with the darkness, he looked like a floating head. For some reason, that effect seemed to suit him perfectly.

"Who is this boy?" Jukei asked, resisting the urge to scoff.

Hazanko smiled. "He has no name, and he doesn't need one. He will do what I command, and that is all I desire. But I need to test his abilities to make sure he's not...rusty. That's were you six come in." Hazanko suddenly vanished, and the room began to fill with harmless gas. "Defend yourselves, if you can."

The only sound was the hissing of the gas. Then a muffled scream broke the near silence. 

* * * * *

Move. Silent. Block. Dodge. Attack.

The young man didn't need sight to locate the rest of the Anten Seven. But then, he suspected they didn't need sight to find him, either.

His hand flew out, the knuckle catching Jukei on the chin. 

One.

Tobeigera appeared behind him. He sidestepped, waited, and slammed his fist into what felt like the remains of a ribcage.

Two.

He ran forward and leaped on Hanmushi's back, chopping her neck twice as they fell.

Three.

He sensed two more coming straight at him. He jumped and ducked all at once. Hitorega's sword just missed his feet, even as Hanmiyo's kick sailed over his head. But before he could attack, they were gone.

He would find them later. Or they'd take care of each other first.

Then he found his target. The dagger materialized in his hand as he leaped. One arm wrapped tightly around her mouth, while the knife buried itself in her throat, greedily lapping up the blood that spilled forth. But even as the knife tore her flesh open, she managed a half-scream through the blood pooling up in her throat. Then Lady Iraga fell to the ground, never to rise again.

Instantly, the gas was gone.

The rest of the Anten Seven lay sprawled about the room, each apparently unconscious. 

"Very good," Hazanko said quietly, staring at him. "You've done well, boy."

"Thank you, Lord Hazanko."

"Now go. Bring me Melfina and the XGP."

"What about Gene Starwind and the crew?"

Hazanko paused for a moment. "If at all possible, capture them and bring them to me. I want to see them to die slowly. However, if they give you no other choice, feel free to exterminate the pests. Just be sure that you bring me their heads as proof."

"Understood, Lord Hazanko. I will not fail you."

Hazanko smiled as the young man ran out of the chamber. "Yes, boy. I know you won't."

Continued in Chapter 2: Justice

Gene Starwind and his crew get a strange message from Gwen Kahn. Aisha finds a small girl with a horrible tale to tell. And a certain young man retrieves another piece of his past…


	2. Justice

Dark Prophet

Note: Yay! You're back! Sorry this took so long to get posted. Um…obviously, since the main character is original, it's time to shed some more light on him. But just a little! Oh, and I got Tobeigera and Jukei mixed up last time. Gah. It's fixed now, though.

Summary: Gene Starwind and his crew get a strange message from Gwen Kahn. Aisha finds a small girl with a horrible tale to tell. And a certain young man retrieves another piece of his past…

"When I have my baby, I can control it and make it be exactly what I want it to be."

– A pregnant woman in a college English class

"You control a machine. You raise a child."

– Me (childless, but not thoughtless)

Dark Prophet

Chapter 2: Justice

From what he could recall of Hazanko's instructions, the ship was called the Black Nova. From what he could recall of his own memory, the sentient computer was simply called Nova. But names were hardly what he was thinking of just then.

He had seen it. Hours, days, maybe even weeks before he had killed Lady Iraga, he had known. It had been a vision, or maybe even a nightmare. Only it had been infinitely worse.

In reality, he'd merely slit her throat and left it at that. In the dream, he'd torn the wound open with his hands, painted his face with her blood, and mutilated the rest of her body until it got boring. Then, for reasons beyond his imagination, he'd gotten…hungry…

"Sir?"

Trying to forget what bloody fur might taste, he glanced at the console. "What?"

"We will need to refuel in approximately half an hour. The nearest fueling station is located on Sentinel III."

"We'll stop there, then." He paused, shifting slight in the chair. It "shifted" with him, automatically molding itself to the shape of his back.

"Is something wrong, sir?"

"No, Nova." He closed his eyes for a long moment. "Tell me…you have memory files, don't you?"

"Of course, sir."

"What types?"

There was the briefest pause. "Memory types include: main, auxiliary, shared, personal, rep-"

"Stop. Did you say…shared?"

"Yes, sir."

"As in…files we both know of?"

"Shared memory files are those that we are both aware of, sir. You inserted some of them yourself."

"I see." He opened his eyes. "There's only one problem with that, Nova."

"What's that, sir?"

"I don't remember any of them."

"…That is most unusual. Are you certain, sir?"

"Yes, Nova. I only remember working for Lord Hazanko." He thought in silence. "Access the shared memory files."

There was a long pause. "Sir, this is quite embarrassing, but…I can't. It seems that Lord Hazanko has seen fit to block all the shared memory files."

His eyes finally opened. "What else is blocked?"

"All auxiliary and personal files are blocked."

"What are they?"

"Auxiliary files are those needed to recover the main memory in case of system crashes. Personal files are the ones you created for your own use."

He blinked. "Nova, why were you created?"

"To assist you, sir."

"Then who do you obey?"

"You, sir."

"Good. Then do whatever it takes to get those files back."

"Understood, sir. I'll inform you of my progress."

* * * * *

"This is BORING!" Aisha whined. "Jim, do something funny!"

Jim glared at her. "Aisha, I'm not a trained monkey, and I'm trying to shave some time off our route. Why don't you do something helpful for a change?"

"Fine!" She walked up behind Jim's seat and draped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his head.

Jim turned a dark shade of red. "Um…Aisha, what are you doing…?"

"Using you as a chinrest. Don't move or I'll claw your eyes out."

"How is this helping anyone?"

"It's helping ME," she pointed out, purring contentedly. "You have nice, soft hair." Her eyes focused on the console in front of him. "I'm also checking your progress. That's helping you."

"What do YOU know about navigation?"

"I know you're not doing so well with it."

"That's because SOMEONE turned my head into a chinrest!"

Aisha grinned. "Is it my fault your hair is so comfortable? Is it?"

Jim frowned. "One day, I'm going to hit a growth spurt, and THEN you'll be sorry."

"Shhh. Chinrests don't talk."

Jim muttered something under his breath, then blinked. "Hey! We got a message from Gwen Kahn! How long has that been there?"

"Oh, that? Since last night."

"Aisha, why didn't you say anything?!"

"I was going to, but Gene yelled at me to be quiet, so I forgot about it. Sorry."

"Well, it's probably important! It could be about Mel!" Jim hit a button on the console. "Gene, Melfina, get in here! I've got something from Gwen Kahn!"

Seconds later, Gene ran in, followed closely by Melfina.

Gwen Kahn's face appeared on the screen. "Well, I must say you've got quite a collection of characters there, Starwind. But that's not why I called." He leaned into the screen. "You're in terrible danger, all of you. I've been told that the Anten Seven have reformed, and they're coming after you."

Gene smirked confidently. "We can take 'em!"

"And whatever you do, DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THEM!"

Jim grinned. "Guess he knows you pretty well, huh, Gene?"

"Shut up," Gene muttered.

"There's something else, too," Gwen Kahn said. "Hazanko himself has issued a bounty on Leilong's head. I'm not sure of the amount, but it's quite a large sum."

"Good," Gene replied. "We could use the money."

Jim frowned. "Sure, Gene, but…this is Leilong, the guy that nearly killed, oh, I don't know…ALL OF US?!"

Gene waved off his concern. "Relax, Jim. We can handle it."

"You got lucky last time, Gene! That might not happen again!"

"I don't need luck; I've got skill."

Aisha snorted derisively. "At least he had to blow me up. You just got hit a few times and nearly died."

Gene glared at her. "We're taking the job."

"You mean you'll take the job while we do all the work!"

"SHUT UP, AISHA!"

"MAKE ME!"

While Jim tried to break up the fight before it started, only Melfina was left staring at the screen.

"…reason to believe that this is the newest member of the Anten Seven." Kahn's face was replaced by that of a small boy, no more than ten years old. "He may look innocent, but he is extremely dangerous, especially to Melfina. If you encounter him, do NOT approach him. If at all possible, destroy him before he has the chance to do the same to you."

Melfina barely heard Kahn's words. She was gradually memorizing the boy's pale skin, brown hair, and green eyes. Looking at him gave her a strange feeling of emptiness, but she couldn't figure out why.

"Okay, so once we get back to Sentinel III, we'll all split up and see if anyone's seen Leilong," Gene said a moment later. "Except you, Jim. You go to Fred's place and find out how much money Hazanko put up."

"What? Why me?!"

Gene grinned. "Because I know the best places to get tips, and Fred thinks you're cute…"

* * * * *

"Sir, may I ask why you felt the need to remain unarmed?"

He glanced at the mechanical raven perched on his shoulder. It looked surprisingly lifelike. "I don't like guns, Nova. I'm going to get a sword, if they sell any decent ones around here."

"My records show that there are several shops that sell weapons on Sentinel III. The closest one is two miles from here."

"That's where we're going then." He was about to start walking again when there was a loud shriek. "What was that…?"

"Human female, approximately age six," Nova replied.

"You can tell that?"

"Yes, sir. She appears to be distressed."

The young man took off, running through the unfamiliar streets until he found the source of the cries. In fact, he nearly stepped on it.

The little girl screamed again as he appeared before her. Her eyes were red from crying for so long, and there were mud stains all over her clothes. She let out another wail before trying to crawl away from him.

"The child appears to be hysterical, sir. Perhaps it would be best to gain her trust?"

The young man frowned. "We can't do that until she calms down." He caught up to the girl and grabbed her. Instantly, she began struggling, and the volume of her cries got even louder. With a scowl, he slapped her none too gently across the face. 

The girl's cries broke off abruptly, but fresh tears began to spill down her cheeks as she stared up at him.

He gently pressed his hand to her red cheek. "Now, tell me what's wrong."

She sniffled and lowered her head, but remained silent.

"I won't hurt you…again. You can trust me."

Nothing.

"Look, I don't have a weapon or anything." He held out his hands to her.

"Sir, her arm," Nova said quietly.

The girl's head jerked up, and she quickly hid her arms behind her.

"Let me see," he said firmly.

She shook her head violently, starting to back away.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him, then instantly regretted doing so. Her arm was covered in dark bruises. He gently ran his fingers along her arm, disbelief in his eyes. "Who did this to you?" he asked quietly, his voice trembling with rage. "Who hurt you?"

"The m-mean man who lives with us," she whispered hesitantly. "I-I'm not s'posed to tell…"

"Why can't you tell?"

"He'll h-hurt M-Mommy if I do." 

"Where is she?"

"W-With him!" Her eyes filled with tears again. "I d-don't wanna live with h-him!"

Not knowing what else to do, he drew the girl into his arms. At first, she resisted, then buried her head against his chest, her small arms clinging to his neck. He shushed her and gently stroked her dark hair. "It's okay. I won't let anyone hurt you. But we have to go back for your mother."

She sniffled and whispered, "It's up the street."

He nodded and lifted her carefully in his arms. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Annie," she murmured into his chest, her eyes slowly drifting shut.

"She must be exhausted," Nova observed, peering at the sleeping child.

He continued up the street, pausing every now and then to glance at Annie's face. It wasn't that she was ugly, or even beautiful. He supposed that she was just lucky; she hadn't lost the ability to look cute while she was asleep. No, what drew his attention was her innocence. She obviously couldn't protect herself, and he absently wondered how she'd survived this long.

The thought, along with any others that might have been forming, was forced out of his head by a sharp stab of pain.

Nova's wings flapped as his master wavered on his feet. "Sir? Is something wrong? Sir?"

He didn't answer. His grip on Annie tightened, and for a brief moment, his eyes were not his own.

* * * * *

"You're getting better," Shimi said, picking at a small wound on his shoulder. "You've never marked me before."

"Still haven't been able to get him, though," the boy replied, nodding at Hitorega as the man launched himself at Hazanko.

"Don't worry. Lord Hazanko will." Shimi smiled grimly. "He always does. Hazanko never loses for long."

As they watched, Hazanko suddenly flattened Hitorega with a wide energy blast.

"Excellent, Hitorega," Hazanko said, brushing some dirt from his shoulders. "You've been practicing, I see."

Hitorega slowly (and painfully) got to his knees. "Thank you…Lord Hazanko."

"Dismissed." Hazanko's gaze drifted to the remaining few he hadn't drilled yet. "Hmm…now you," he said, pointing.

The boy gulped and started forward, only to bump into someone that was already passing him.

"Excuse me," the person said, flashing him a brief smile before approaching Hazanko.

The boy blinked several times. The person had been…a girl? Confused, he looked at Shimi. "Who is that?"

Shimi looked up. "What? Oh. That's Hamniyo."

"But…what is a little girl doing here?!" he cried.

Shimi grinned. "The same thing a little boy is, I'd say."

The boy glared at him. "You KNOW what I mean!"

"She's one of the Anten Seven, kid. Didn't you know that?"

"No! I've never seen her before!"

"It's possible," Shimi offered with a shrug. "Hazanko sends her out on missions a lot. Likes to keep her busy. She's very good." He paused and looked at the boy. "Didn't you ever wonder why you only saw six of us?"

The boy blushed. "I…um…kinda thought *I* was the last one…" He glanced away. "What is she so good at, anyway?"

Shimi chuckled. "Watch."

The boy did…and he couldn't believe his eyes. Hamniyo was winning.

The way she moved…it was if she was grace personified. And despite the fact that she looked very much like a ballerina in a play, each of her movements was executed fast enough to avoid all of Hazanko's attacks. She made it look, in a word, easy.

And she wasn't too hard on the eyes, either.

"Wipe your chin, kid," Shimi said. "I'm not slipping in your drool when it's my turn."

The boy realized he was gaping (but not drooling, thankfully), and shut his mouth.

Hamniyo's "dance" continued…that is, until Hazanko suddenly grew tired of the game. With a flick of his wrist, the girl went flying through the air like a pink rocket. 

Before he realized that he had done it, the boy was in the air, catching the pink rocket and being slammed into the wall by the force. He shook his head, then looked down into her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Hamniyo blinked several times. "Yeah. At least nothing broke this time." She rolled off him and stood up. "It never hurts for long. Just a flash, then you go numb." She smiled. "Your turn!"

The boy's eyes darkened. "I know," he said quietly.

"Good luck!" She paused and reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "Oh, and thanks for the save!"

The boy's expression changed to one of confusion. "Um…sure. Anytime."

She smiled again, winked at him, then skipped away, waving to Shimi as she passed him.

Shimi only nodded, then looked at the boy. "You ready, kid?"

"Yeah." The boy stood up, a frown forming on his face. For some reason, he felt a certain attachment to Hamniyo, a strong desire to protect her, and an even stronger one to knock Hazanko into next week. He was certain he would win. It had come to him in a dream, and Shimi had told him to follow his dreams.

Hazanko smiled, a terrifying sight. "Now you, my prodigy. Show me what you've learned."

The boy growled and leaped at Hazanko. The fight began…and ended in less than three seconds.

Shimi blinked. "Wow. Guess I *don't* get a turn…"

* * * * *

"Man! I can't believe this!" Gene slammed his fists against the wheel. "Nobody's got anything on Leilong! Even Slippery Sal was clueless!"

"G-Gene?" Melfina asked quietly from the passenger's seat.

Gene calmed down before answering, running a hand through his red hair. "Sorry, Mel. Didn't mean to scare you."

"No, it's not that." Melfina looked worried. "Do you think…the Anten Seven will come after us again?"

"Probably. They won't stop until they get you and the Outlaw Star…and my head, maybe." Upon hearing her frightened gasp, he quickly added, "But don't you worry about a thing, Mel. If they want you, they'll have to go through me. Oh, and maybe Aisha, too."

"You mean…you'd protect me?" she asked.

Gene gave her a surprised look. "Well…yeah, Mel. You know that." Shaking his head, he started the car and was about to drive off. That is, until he felt soft lips brush his cheek. His eyes widened and shifted to Melfina, who was blushing furiously as she pulled away. "Um…thanks, but…what was that for?"

"For keeping me safe," she said simply, avoiding his eyes.

Gene stared at her for a while before the familiar cocky grin came over his face. "Is there more? I've kept you safe more than once, y'know…"

Before Melfina could answer him, her eyes widened, and she let out an ear-piercing scream.

Gene instantly looked all around, but found no enemy sneaking up on them. But when he turned back around, it was again his turn to be surprised. "Mel? MEL?!"

Melfina had passed out, and her normally pale skin was losing what little color it had.

Muttering a curse under his breath, Gene checked for a pulse. There was none. He cursed again and grabbed the wheel, slamming his foot down on the accelerator. The car raced into he night, while he gently stroked Melfina's head. "Hang on, Mel. I've get you some help…somehow…"

* * * * *

The chamber hissed as the door slowly slid open. Her eyes adjusted to the dim light, then focused on the man peering up at her.

"Welcome back, my dear," he said, smiling. "How are we feeling today?"

"Fine, Professor Kahn," she replied, more or less automatically.

"Good, very good. You can come out now." He took her hands and helped her down from the chamber. Then his face turned red. "My goodness! I've forgotten your clothes again! Wait right here!" He turned and ran off into the dark laboratory.

Melfina simply stood there in the darkness. Kahn, for all intents and purposes, was her creator. She would follow his instructions without question. He'd never really told her to do much. Just a few tests here, an examination there, and nothing more. It was almost boring.

A flicker of movement just beyond her field of vision caught her attention. She turned to look, finding nothing there. "How strange," she whispered. For some reason she looked up and promptly gasped.

The boy was hanging by his legs from a small pipe in the ceiling. He was totally motionless, and didn't even seem to be breathing. A mop of brown hair topped his head, and his green eyes seemed to be looking at her…no, through her, as if he could see inside her.

"Here they are, my dear!"

Melfina turned at the sound of Kahn's voice, then looked back at the ceiling. The boy was gone.

Kahn reappeared shortly, blushing again as he handed over the clothes. "Please forgive me. I'm never been so absent-minded before."

"It's not a problem, Professor Kahn," she said quietly, pulling on the blue bodysuit.

"Well, I'll be testing your response time today. Ready?"

"Yes, sir." Melfina followed him through the lab, still thinking of the boy. "Professor Kahn…is there a boy here?"

Kahn stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. "A…boy?"

"Yes. With brown hair and green eyes. He was-"

"No," Kahn said a little too quickly. "You must be mistaken. You and I are the only ones here."

"But I-"

"There is no boy here, Melfina. You must have imagined him. Now, come along." Kahn quickly walked off, muttering to himself.

Melfina followed, but at a distance. Her mentioning the boy had obviously bothered him. She'd never seen her creator so upset. But she was certain she'd seen him. She couldn't have imagined him; she'd never even seen other people, and wasn't quite sure what they looked like. She had to have seen the boy, no matter what Kahn said. So either he was just unaware of the boy, or he was trying to hide something by lying…but what?

* * * * *

"You're sure this is the place?"

Annie nodded, clinging tightly to his arm.

He smiled briefly, patting her head. "Take her back to the ship, Nova. I don't want her getting hurt."

The bird stared at him. "Sir, are you certain that is wise?"

"Do it, Nova. That's an order."

"Yes, sir," the raven sighed, hopping to Annie's shoulder. "Come, little one. We'd better go."

Annie stared questioningly up at her newfound protector. "You'll bring my Mommy back?"

He nodded, then turned back to the supposedly abandoned warehouse. "Go." He waited until her light footsteps faded into the distance, then kicked open the steel door with little effort.

Instantly, gunshots rang out, but he was already moving through the darkness.

The lights flickered on, and two gunmen appeared.

"Dammit, where'd he go?!" the first asked, glancing around. Then he looked at the floor, spotting his partner's bullet-riddled body. "What the-?!"

The second "gunman" fired once, and the first slumped to the ground in silence.

"Idiots," he muttered, dropping the gun and moving on to the next room.

* * * * *

Lenny slowly woke up as he heard a noise. "Go check it out, Bardo," he muttered.

The larger man next to him nodded, stepping into the hallway. There was a strangled gasp, and Bardo was thrown back into the room, his lifeless body bouncing as it hit the floor.

Lenny quickly grabbed his pistol and drew a bead on the stranger that entered next. "I don't know who you are, but you're dead."

The stranger smiled. "No, you are. I had a vision. Crushed by a great weight, your brains splattered all over the floor. Too bad there's nothing heavy enough in here…but maybe that couch you're sitting on will do."

Lenny growled and fired…only to find the stranger's hand wrapped firmly around his wrist. How he'd gotten across the room so fast was unimportant as Lenny drew a knife with his free hand and jammed it into the stranger's throat.

The stranger blinked. "Ouch."

Lenny found himself crashing to the wall, pain spiraling up his spinal cord as the stranger advanced on him.

"You like hurting people smaller than you, do you? Where is she?"

Lenny growled, spitting out blood. "Where is who?!"

"Annie's mother."

Lenny's eyes narrowed. "Damn brat! When I get ahold of her, I'll-"

The stranger grabbed Lenny by the throat and hauled him up. "Where. Is. She?"

Lenny gagged and whispered thickly, "Chi…co!"

"What?" the stranger asked.

"Me," a deep voice answered, even as a huge fist embedded itself in his back.

* * * * *

"Gilliam, open up!" Gene shouted as he ran up the ramp, clutching Melfina tightly to his chest.

"Gene, what's happened?" Gilliam asked as the door slid open. "Is Melfina-"

"I don't know!" Gene ran onto the bridge and placed Melfina in his chair. "Get Jim up here right now, and see if you can figure out some way to help her!"

"Gene, I'll have to know what happened first," Gilliam explained as he began scanning the bio-android.

"She just passed out! Now get Jim!"

"I can't do that, Gene. He hasn't come back from seeing Fred yet. Aisha is also still gone."

Gene growled in frustration. "So everyone's gone?!"

"Not quite, Gene," a voice answered.

"AH!" Gene spun around. "Suzuka! What are YOU doing back here? And how did you get in?"

"I decided to see what you were up to," she said with a smirk. "Gilliam let me in. Apparently, I never officially left the crew."

"Well, we can catch up later." Gene turned back to Gilliam. "Can't you do anything to help Mel?"

"I will do my best, Gene, but I'm afraid it won't be enough. Only Gwen Kahn would have the knowledge to fix Melfina's internal system."

"Then I'll find him," Suzuka said. "You two keep an eye on Melfina."

* * * * *

Chico grunted and wiped his bloody fists on his shirt. "I should prolly kill you now. But I think I'll wait for the boss to come back, see what he wants to do with you."

The stranger coughed weakly and glared up at him. "This is not over."

"I agree. It's over when your heart stops."

"No," he whispered with an eerie smile. "It's over…once I've seen it."

Chico was about to laugh…and then stopped. "That's…impossible!"

"No, it's reality. My reality. Welcome to it." The stranger rose to his feet, his many wounds apparently healed. "Now, we can either do this the easy way, or my way."

Chico smirked. "Fine. But no crying when I beat you senseless."

"That," said the stranger, raising a hand, "won't happen."

Chico started to rush him and froze. "What…are you…AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

"It never pays to be…heartless." The stranger lowered his hand, sighing as Chico fell to the floor. Only then did he realize that Lenny was missing.

* * * * *

Aisha sighed heavily as she walked back to the Outlaw Star. No one had any info on Leilong, although she had found out that one of the Anten Seven was on Sentinel III. Of course, no one knew which assassin it was, or where he was. In other words, she hadn't found out much. She wasn't sure what was worse: the fact that she had to admit she'd failed, or that Gene Starwind might've actually found out more.

But as it turned out, she wouldn't have to go back to the ship totally empty-handed. If it wasn't for her heightened senses as a Ctarl-Ctarl, Aisha might have missed the invisible ship completely. But being invisible did nothing to silence a little girl's anguished cries.

It took her three whole minutes to figure out that the girl was inside the ship, and after that, only one minute to find the door.

Naturally, as soon as the little girl saw Aisha's furry face, she did what came naturally. She screamed, which didn't make Aisha very pleased. Super sensitive ears never reacted well to screams.

"Quiet down, kid!" she shouted.

Not wanting to be ripped to shreds, Annie shut her mouth.

Aisha sighed in frustration. "Okay, what's your problem?" She expected something along the lines of, "I'm lost," or "I'm scared," or even "I wish I was a delicate flower of the Ctarl-Ctarl Empire like you, Miss Aisha!" What she got was quite an original story. Aisha normally wouldn't have believed a word of it…except she was a member of the Outlaw Star's crew, and the invisible ship and the talking raven were proof enough.

"Okay. So where's this 'sad man' that saved you, kid?" Aisha asked.

Annie's face fell. "The mean man hurt my Mommy. Sad man went to take her somewhere, and he hasn't come back yet."

It didn't take Aisha long to figure out that "hurt" was actually "killed," and "take her somewhere" was more like "bury her somewhere." At least "sad man" had been kind enough to lie to the girl.

"So…you got any family around here, kid?"

Annie shook her head sadly. "Nope."

Aisha wasn't sure why, but she felt responsible for the girl. "Well…I guess I could take you home with me. Maybe I can talk Jim into talking Gene into letting me keep you. After all, Gene gets to keep Melfina. It's only fair that me and Jim get pet people, too."

"Go home…with you?" Annie asked nervously.

"Aw, don't worry! Just think of me as a really friendly tiger." To demonstrate, Aisha purred loudly and dangled her tail in front of Annie's face. "See?"

"O-Okay." Annie carefully took hold of the offered tail. "Should we wait for sad man?"

"Don't think so, kid. He could be a while. You'd be better off with me, anyway. But I guess it couldn't hurt to leave him a note or something…"

* * * * *

The man sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I failed her, Nova. That little girl was counting on me to save her mother, and I failed her."

"You did your best, sir. That is all anyone can ask of you."

"But…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "I should've done more."

"You gave her mother a proper burial. She's in the hands of that female Ctarl-Ctarl now."

The man's heart leaped into his throat. "Did you say…female, Nova?"

"Correct, sir."

He blinked. "Bring up the security videos and the target profiles."

"Just a moment, sir."

The images popped onto the screen a moment later.

"It's her. No question. That's Aisha Clan-Clan." He groaned and slapped his forehead. "I practically handed that girl to her!"

"There's no need for concern, sir. You have programmed me with excellent tracking abilities."

"Meaning what, Nova?"

"Meaning, sir, that we can follow them at any time. The tracer I placed on the girl is fully operational. That is, of course, assuming you will follow them once they leave the planet?"

The man looked confused. "Yes, but…why would you put a tracer on her?"

"I was programmed to track any individual we have significant contact with, sir."

"I see." The man thought for a moment. "Open a direct line to the Geomancer, then. Inform Lord Hazanko that we will be following the XGP when it leaves Sentinel III."

"Yes, sir."

* * * * *

Jim shuddered a final time as he neared the Outlaw Star's main door. Visiting Fred was never enjoyable, and this particular time had been downright frightening. He'd walked in on Fred in the middle of ballroom dancing with on the guards. The mental pictures had been disturbing to say the least.

Jim tried to put the pictures behind him as he raised his head so Gilliam's cameras could identify him.

"Welcome back, Jim. We have an emergency. Something's happened to Melfina, and it seems that Aisha has a house-guest."

Jim ran into the ship and was immediately pounced on by Gene.

"JIM! You've got to help her!"

"Back off, Gene! I can't do anything with you all over me!" Jim shoved past his friend and stared at Melfina's still form. "Tell me everything while I try to work something out with Gilliam."

Nearby, Aisha kept Annie entertained with stories of the Outlaw Star's adventures. Annie was only half-listening, because she kept giving Melfina worried glances. Finally, she interrupted and asked, "Is that lady gonna be okay?"

"Who, Mel?" Aisha glanced at Melfina. "Hard to say, kid. There's only a few people who know how to fix Mel, and none of them are on this ship. Suzu's gone to find one of them, though."

* * * * *

Hazanko was a surprisingly patient man. It had taken him years to get where he was, and he allowed himself to believe that patience was a virtue. So when his trump card called in to say that the Outlaw Star was in his sights, Hazanko was fairly pleased. Not happy, but pleased.

Normally, he would've been furious. But the trump card had done him a favor. Iraga was out of his hair for good. He wasn't sure if the command would stay fresh in the boy's mind, but it had, amazingly enough. That was good. Certainly he'd remember the others soon enough and stop wasting time.

Because to Hazanko, the XGP and Melfina led to ultimate perfection.

His trump card was the ultimate weapon.

Therefore, he could wait a while for his goal. But not for long.

Continued in Chapter 3: Choices

Annie unknowingly leads the Outlaw Star into a trap, and only Melfina has the power to save them all. But her dangerous encounter with the mystery man results in some very unexpected choices on both sides.


	3. Choices

DarkProphet3 Note: Yeah, I know it's taking me forever to do this series. But don't blame me for all of it. FF.Net was down when I finished the second chapter, so it had to wait for a bit. Oh, and I pretty much killed Iraga because I think she's an Aisha rip-off that deserved to die. This chapter will reveal more of the main character's special abilities. 

Summary: Annie unknowingly leads the Outlaw Star into a trap, and only Melfina has the power to save them all. But her dangerous encounter with the mystery man results in some very unexpected choices on both sides. 

"A man is only as moral as the choices he makes from day to day."   
-- Unknown

  


Dark Prophet   
Chapter 3: Choices   


Jim leaned over Melfina, staring into her eyes. "Well, I don't think anything was damaged, Professor Kahn. Gene said she just screamed and passed out." 

On the screen, Gwen Kahn gulped as Suzuka's wooden sword pressed more firmly into his neck. "Yes, well, then only the reactivation code should be required." 

"And that would be?" Gene asked, glaring at him. 

"Uh…well…" Kahn gasped as Suzuka whispered something in his ear. Though the sensor's from Kahn's side of the connection didn't pick up what she was saying, it was obvious from the way the color drained from his face what she might have said. "Ah! I'll tell them, I'll tell them!" He swallowed noisily and whispered, "This is the code. 'I would like a bowl of muskrat stew.' That's it, I swear!" 

Jim shrugged. "Sounds crazy, but I don't think he'd lie at this point." 

Gene nodded. "Go ahead and try it, Jim." 

"Aisha, what's muskrat stew?" Annie whispered. 

"No idea, kid," Aisha replied, patting the girl's head. "I'm still trying to picture a muskrat myself." 

Melfina suddenly opened her eyes and sat up, nearly knocking Jim out of his chair. 

Gene grabbed her hand. "Melfina, are you okay?" 

"I…I think so," she whispered, blinking slowly. "What…happened?" 

"It would seem that someone activated your automatic shutdown procedure by remote, my dear," Kahn replied as Suzuka removed her sword. 

"Who would do that?" Jim asked. 

"Well, if you remember, there are only two kinds of people that might possess a remote." 

"Pirates and the space forces," Gene muttered. "My money's on the pirates." 

"Mine, too," Jim agreed. "But at least Mel's okay now." 

"Unlikely," Gwen Kahn disagreed. "The pirates deactivated her for a reason. My guess is that they're planning to take her and the XGP away from you, Gene." 

Gene smirked. "Let them try. Nobody's taking Melfina anywhere she doesn't want to go. Including you, Kahn." 

"Yes, I see your…ah…point," he murmured as Suzuka's sword made another appearance. 

* * * * * 

"Nova. Was the test successful?" 

"Yes, sir. The remote works perfectly. Melfina's systems were shut down for approximately five hours, fifteen minutes, and forty-five seconds." 

The man sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Then, logically, the remote to the XGP works, too." 

"I would assume so, sir. But are you certain you don't want to test it?" 

"No. I've wasted enough time already. It's time to end this. Contact Hazanko one more time, Nova. After that, we take the Outlaw Star." 

"Understood, sir." 

The man closed his eyes. "Annie…forgive me." 

* * * * * 

"Lord Hazanko?" 

"What is it, Hanmushi?" 

"It's him. The XGP is within range. He's about to proceed." 

Hazanko smiled. "Excellent. Soon Melfina and the XGP will be mine, and then nothing will stop me from accessing the Galactic Leyline." 

"Are you certain he can be trusted, Lord?" Jukei asked. 

Hazanko suddenly became silent. "Let us hope so," he whispered, "for HIS sake…" 

* * * * * 

"Jim? Can I ask you something?" 

Jim looked up to see a little girl peering down at him. At first, he wondered how she'd gotten on the ship in the first place. Then, however, he remembered that she was Aisha's "pet" human. "What is it, Annie?" he asked, stopping his repair job on the control panel. 

"I was wondering…do you think people go to heaven when they die?" 

Jim blinked. "Well…I guess some of them do. I never really thought about it." 

"Do you think that's where my Mommy went when she died?" Annie asked. 

"I'm sure she did, Annie." Jim stared at her a moment longer. "Listen, Annie, if you don't feel like you want to be here, we could always drop you off at-" 

"No, I like it here," Annie interrupted. 

Jim froze. "You…do?" He considered that. "WHY?" 

"Aisha said she'd take care of me, and she's got nice, soft fur that tickles." 

"Oh. Okay." Jim smiled a bit. "Well, I guess that means we'll have to add you to the crew." 

"What could I do to help?" 

"Hmm. Maybe you could help Melfina in the kitchen. I know there's some low cabinets you could get into easily. I'm sure she'd appreciate the help." 

Annie beamed. "Okay!" She quickly ran off. 

Jim chuckled. "Cute kid. Strange, but cute." 

The words were barely out of his mouth when entire ship suddenly veered to the right, tossing Jim over his chair and slamming him into the wall. 

After his head cleared, Jim could see alarm lights flashing. "Gilliam, what's happening?!" he shouted. 

"Someone is accessing my primary systems, Jim. All security programs have been bypassed, and they're tapping into my mainframe. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do." 

* * * * * 

The man stared at the screen, watching as everything aboard the Outlaw Star literally shut down. "Fire the anchors, Nova, and make sure the airlock is prepped. This could get messy." 

"Airlock is fully functional, sir," the raven on his shoulder replied. "Anchors now locked. Ship aligned…docking complete. We may proceed." 

"Good." The man quickly ran to airlock. 

"Sir, might I suggest taking at least one weapon?" the raven asked. 

"I am a weapon, Nova. Open the damn hatch and let's get this over with." 

"Yes, sir." 

* * * * * 

Gene hated being in situations he couldn't control. It usually meant someone was trying to kill him, and they had a pretty good idea of what they were doing. His lucky streak was always put to the test, and even if he did survive, he'd probably pick up a few more scars in the process. Normally, that wouldn't be too big a problem. 

But normally, he wasn't crouched behind the kitchen stove, trying to convince Melfina that everything would be fine. In short, things weren't going too well. 

"Just relax, Mel," he said, gently squeezing her hand. "I'll protect you no matter what." 

It was at that point that the door flew open. 

Gene instantly leaped to his feet, and promptly got a face full of dirty blonde hair. By the time he realized someone had just thrown Jim at him, the knife was already flying past his left ear. Fortunately, Jim had been thrown so hard that they both hit the floor, falling behind the stove again. 

Melfina's eyes widened in terror as she noticed the red stains on Jim's shirt. 

Gene pressed a gloved finger to her lips and pushed Jim into her arms before standing again. Seeing no one, he pulled the knife from the wall and got kicked in the gut. 

The man was a few inches shorter than Gene. His dark hair covered a good portion of his face, but he seemed to have no trouble at all with seeing. He wore a few pieces of armor that looked as if they might shatter under a direct blow from a fist. 

"You're either very brave or very crazy," Gene muttered, drawing a bead on the man's head. 

"No. Just…lucky." The man charged, moving faster than anything Gene had ever seen (and he'd seen a lot), and knocking the gun out of his hand. 

Gene countered with the knife, but all he managed to do was slice open the man's cheek. 

The man paused, wiping the blood away. "That one was free, Starwind. You won't get another." 

"What makes you so sure?" 

The man didn't reply with words. He simply raised his hand and fired. 

That shouldn't have been possible, considering there wasn't a weapon in his hand at the time. But when Gene opened his eyes, he was on the floor with a hole in his arm, and there WAS a weapon in the man's hand. 

"I'm not going to kill you. At least, not yet. Just tell me where you've hidden Melfina and the rest of your crew might live." 

"I'll die first," Gene spat. 

"No, you won't. You'll tell me where she is…whether you want to or not." He fired three times. 

Gene grunted, but he felt nothing. Still, they'd sounded like three real shots, and that was the important thing. 

"GENE!" Melfina shrieked, throwing herself over him. 

The man smiled. "They were blanks, you know. But thank you. This makes everything so much…easier…" 

Melfina was staring up at him with pure hatred in her eyes. But then a light of recognition appeared, and she gasped. "You…it's…really you," she whispered. 

He blinked and took two steps back. Then two more. And then he ran, trying to ignore the pounding in his head. 

* * * * * 

"She's beautiful, Professor Kahn. What do you call her?" the boy asked. 

"Call her?" Gwen Kahn thought for a moment. "Oh, yes. Bio-Android #25973." 

The boy frowned. "That's terrible. I mean, what's her name?" 

"Name? Why should she need a name? Preposterous, simply preposterous, my boy." 

"But everyone has a name, Professor. Even I have one." 

"No, you don't. I made you, and you don't have a name. You can call yourself Michael all you want, but it's still not your name, #28604. Now, stop bothering me and go back to your unit. I've got work to do." With that, Kahn walked away, muttering to himself as he always did. 

"You need a name," the boy whispered. "I'll give you one, don't worry." He carefully pressed his hand against the containment unit. "I'll call you Melfina. How's that? Melfina and Michael, a matched set. You like that name, don't you?" 

There was no reply. 

"Don't worry, you'll grow into it. Here, I'll input it so you remember when Kahn wakes you up." The boy scrambled over to the main console and began to type. His fingers flew rapidly across the keys, as if they were an extension of himself. "There! All done, Melfina. Now you know your name." 

The unconscious bio-android's eyelids fluttered as the information was fed directly into her brain. 

"It's done. Now you have a name, my sister," the boy whispered, smiling. "And I gave it to you. You won't forget it, either. You won't forget me. You'll see." 

* * * * * 

Melfina blinked a few times, then stood up, pressing a hand to her chest. She slowly mouthed the word, and then said it. "Michael?" 

"That's his name?" Gene groaned, sitting up. 

"Yes," Melfina said, helping him stand. 

"Well, as soon as I reload, I'll-" 

"No, Gene. You stay here and look after Jim." Melfina stepped away from him and typed a command into the door panel. "I'll do this alone." She quickly walked out of the kitchen, and the door slid shut behind her, locking. 

"Melfina!" Gene shouted, pounding on the door. "Get back here right now! That man is dangerous!" 

Melfina closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Gene. But I can't let you hurt Michael. He's confused, and…I can help him. I hope." 

* * * * * 

"Sir, is anything the matter?" the raven asked. 

"Not now, Nova," the man muttered, trying to catch his breath. "I need…to think for a moment." 

"That is not wise. The Ctarl-Ctarl you encountered will be waking up soon, and I doubt she'll be pleased when she recalls what you did to her." 

"I don't care what's wise. That…that girl, she…" 

"The bio-android Melfina, sir?" 

"Yes! She…she knew me. How could she know me?" 

"I fear the answer lies in the shared files I am still currently decoding, sir. Hazanko's restrictions are very complex." 

"Then that begs the question…why wouldn't he want me to know that Melfina knows me?" 

"Possibly because it would mean that you know her, sir." 

"But I don't remember anything before training with Shimi and Hitorega." 

"Then you must have met Melfina before the training, sir. Most likely around the time you programmed me, according to my records." 

"But…I was just a boy when I trained, Nova." 

"Then you were even less when you programmed me, sir. Which suggests, as I've told you before, that you are more than human." 

"I'm starting to wonder if I was ever human to begin with," the man whispered, staring at his hands. "And if I was…what am I now?" 

"Bio-Android # 28604," a voice replied. "My brother." 

The man whipped his right hand up, his fingers tightening on a gun that suddenly appeared there. He looked up the barrel to see Melfina staring back at him. 

"Hello, Michael," she said quietly. "It's been so long since I've seen you." 

The man noticed that his arm was shuddering, and silently commanded it to stop. "Mel…fina," he whispered, trying to figure out why she seemed so familiar. More importantly, why he was finding it harder and harder to keep the gun trained on her by the second. 

Melfina slowly reached up and pushed the gun aside. "You don't really want to hurt me, do you, Michael? You gave me my name. Don't you remember?" 

He backed away, trying to put some distance between them. "Nova," he panted, his voice rising in desperation, "advise." 

The raven was strangely silent on his shoulder. 

"Nova, advise," he repeated, trying to aim the gun again. 

There was no reply. 

"I said advise, damn you!" he shouted. 

Melfina only stared at him sadly. 

"I'm afraid you won't like what I have to say, sir," Nova finally answered. 

"Just say it!" the man spat. 

"Very well," Nova replied. "Put the gun down and listen to her." 

He blinked. "WHAT?!" 

"Put the gun down and listen to her, sir. She is not a threat to us." 

The man didn't do either. Instead, he started thinking. He'd programmed Nova to assist and obey him in all situations, with the number one priority of keeping him alive. Nova would never tell him do anything life-threatening without mentioning that it might be fatal. 

After a few minutes, he finally lowered the gun, but it didn't leave his hand. "What do you want from me?" he asked. 

"I don't want anything from you, Michael." Melfina slowly came closer, then placed her hand on his cheek. "I just want to be sure you're okay." 

"Stop. Don't…do that." 

"Oh, Michael. What have they done to you? Don't you know me?" Melfina kneeled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I promise I'll help you in any way I can. I won't let anyone hurt you." 

"Sir, I have the files," Nova said suddenly. "What she says is true. She is your sister, and you did name her." 

The man blinked in disbelief. It wasn't possible…and yet it was. "Report, Nova." 

"Sir?" 

"Explain to me—to us—how I came to work for Hazanko." 

"Processing…one moment, sir…found. Preparing shared file…done." 

* * * * * 

The space station shook as it was rocked by explosions. Among all the chaos, there was a man, a boy, and a girl. 

"Those bloodthirsty pirates! They'll destroy all my work at this rate!" Gwen Kahn turned to the boy at his side. "You, there! # 28604! Help me gather the essential materials!" 

"No." 

Gwen Kahn froze. "What…? What did you say?" 

"I have to stay with her. I have to stay and protect Melfina." 

"Melfina will be fine, boy. This case is made out of pure, reinforced litanium. Nothing could penetrate it. Now, take her to the XGP and wait for me if you're not going to help!" 

"Actually, I thought I might take that off your hands." 

Kahn turned to see a woman a few feet away, pointing a gun at him. "Who are you?" 

"Name's not important. Just step away from the kids, Professor. I'm taking them on a little joyride." 

"Impossible! You can't! The boy still has to be updated and then-" 

The gun fired. "I never did like technobabble. Move." 

Kahn moved. 

The woman pushed him aside anyway. "Grab the case and let's move, kid. Unless you want pirates breathing down your neck." 

The boy thought for a moment, then grabbed the case and followed the woman to the XGP. 

As soon as the door opened, something slammed into the boy from above. 

The woman spun around and fired at five agile shapes that moved through the darkness with uncanny speed. She cursed under her breath. "Kei Pirate Ninjas. Kid, get in the ship now!" 

The boy rose, only to be grabbed by something with sharp, piercing claws. With all his strength, he threw the case at the woman. "Protect Melfina!" he shouted. 

The woman caught the case, and raised her gun to fire, then thought better of it and ran into the ship, closing the door behind her. 

Something heavy crashed into the boy's skull, and the last thing he heard was the XGP taking off… 

* * * * * 

"Where is the XGP?" the pirate asked again, wiping blood on his pants. 

The boy spat to empty his mouth. "I wouldn't tell you if I knew." 

"You will talk, or you will die." The pirate readied himself for another blow. 

"Sir! Another pirate ship is overtaking us!" someone on the intercom shouted. 

"Friend or foe?" the pirate asked, turning away for a moment. 

"Unknown, sir! Ship identifies itself as the Geomancer." 

"The Geomancer?! GET US OUT OF HERE! FIRE ALL THRUSTERS IMMEDIATELY! DO IT NOW!" 

There was a horrible groan of metal upon metal, and then the door was ripped from its hinges as a tornado roared in, sucking in the pirate instantly. There was barely time for him to scream as the room was drenched in blood and bits of bone. 

The tornado stopped spinning, revealing a strange, thin man with several spikes protruding from his back. 

The boy blinked in surprise. "Who…or what…are you?" 

The man spoke, but it wasn't in reply. "I have the boy, Lord Hazanko." Then he came closer. 

The boy was vaguely aware of a strange noise before he blacked out. 

* * * * * 

"I'm certain you can guess the rest, sir." 

The man sighed heavily. "I know now what I must do. Nova, are you still in complete control of the XGP?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Activate Security Code 1925784." 

"Michael, what are you doing?" Melfina asked. 

"Something I should've done a long time ago, Melfina. I'm going back to face Hazanko." 

"Alone?" she asked, fear creeping into her voice. 

"No," he replied. "Not alone." 

Melfina's eyes widened, and she collapsed into his arms. 

"The crew is now unconscious, sir. Should I remove the gas?" 

"No, leave it. Just in case." He carefully picked up Melfina and carried her to the airlock. "One more thing, Nova." 

"Sir?" 

"Reactivate the XGP in an hour. Plant a tracer on something moving fast enough to lead them on for a while. I don't want them interrupting too soon. For now, just get us back to the ship." 

"Understood, sir." 

* * * * * 

Aisha was the first one to awaken. Her sensitive nose picked up faint traces of gas, along with another scent that was somewhat familiar. Then she remembered. The stranger who had somehow snuck up behind her, even with her hearing. He was good…too good. 

Relying on her nose alone, Aisha picked up Gene's scent and found he and Jim locked in the kitchen. It was a bit harder to locate Annie, who had somehow ended up in the cargo hold. Jim was the only one seriously wounded, and even those would heal in a few days. 

"Okay, we know he knocked everyone out and took Mel," Jim said. 

"No, Gilliam knocked everyone out with that gas," Aisha corrected. "Why didn't you tell us you could do that?!" 

"You didn't ask, Aisha," Gilliam replied. "And at the time, I had no control over the Outlaw Star. I wasn't the one who activated the gas." 

"So you're saying that guy shut you down somehow?" Gene asked. 

"Yes, Gene. And he was obviously familiar with my systems if he could use a security code. But I do have some good news. I've been able to trace a signal that is rapidly speeding away from us. However…" 

"However what?" Jim asked. 

"I wasn't able to sense the intruder's ship before. Technically, I shouldn't be able to sense it now." 

"Unless he wants us to find him," Gene said quietly. "It's a trap." 

"So we're not gonna fall for it, right?" Jim asked. 

"We have to rescue Melfina," Gene disagreed. "So, yeah, we're going." 

Jim sighed. "I knew you were gonna say that." 

* * * * * 

"Sir?" 

"What is it, Nova?" 

"A question, if I may." 

"Of course." 

"Hazanko ordered you to capture the XGP and Melfina, correct?" 

"Correct." 

"Well, it seems to me you had the perfect opportunity to do both." 

"Hmm. Continue, Nova." 

"So, why would you only take Melfina? I could've easily towed the XGP's weight, or activated its thrusters." 

"Hazanko needs Melfina and the XGP, Nova. While having one is useless, it will pacify him for a while. And all I need is some time. Bringing Melfina to him will give me more time." 

"Time for what, sir?" 

"You'll see. How long until we arrive?" 

"About three hours, sir." 

"Excellent. Proceed." 

* * * * * 

"Aisha?" 

Aisha didn't open her eyes, but her ears twitched slightly. "What is it, kid?" 

"I…I had a nightmare…" 

Aisha finally opened her eyes and peered over the edge of her bed. 

It was Annie, of course. She was wearing some pajamas that didn't fit (mostly because it was one of Jim's T-shirts and a pair of shorts) and hugging a teddy bear. At any other time, she would've been adorable. But Aisha's internal clock told her it was about two in the morning. 

With a sigh, Aisha rolled over to the center of the bed. "C'mon." 

Annie climbed into the bed and curled up next to her. 

"So. Wanna talk about it?" Aisha asked, draping an arm over the girl. 

"I dreamed the mean man came back to hurt me. But the sad man came to save me." 

"That was a nightmare?" 

"No. But then a really bad man came and took the sad man away, and I was all alone and scared and stuff." She paused. "But…then you came and got me." 

"Doesn't sound too bad to me." 

"Aisha?" 

"Hmm?" 

"Is Melfina gonna be okay?" 

"Try not to think about that, kid." Aisha pulled Annie closer and flipped her long, white braid in the girl's face. "Hang onto that if you get scared, okay?" 

Annie nodded and gave the braid a light squeeze. It made her feel better, for some reason. She closed her eyes and snuggled into Aisha's warm fur. Within seconds, she fell into a peaceful sleep, a slight smile on her face. 

* * * * * 

"Do you think he'll succeed, Hitorega?" 

"I don't know, Hamnyo. He has the ability to, but…I just don't know." 

Hamnyo stared into the deep, darkness of space, wondering. "What if he does?" 

"I suppose we'll have to wait and see." 

"And…if he doesn't?" 

"I…don't know," Hitorega admitted after a long moment. 

"I miss Shimi," she said suddenly. 

"So do I, little one. But he failed Hazanko." 

"I guess." She hesitated, then slipped her tiny hand into his larger one. 

Hitorega's fingers slowly closed over her own. "Have faith, little one. That is all we can do for now." 

Hamnyo closed her eyes and waited patiently. Please hurry back…Michael.> 

* * * * *   
  
Continued in Chapter 4: Revenge 

Michael returns to the Anten Seven, but will he really hand Melfine over to Hazanko, and what is his mysterious plan? Gene & Co. finally catch up to Michael, but so does a certain ex-Anten assassin. And when all is said and done, which side will Melfina choose?   



	4. Revenge

Summary: Michael returns to the Anten Seven, but will he really hand Melfina over to Hazanko, and what is his mysterious plan? Gene & Co. finally catch up to Michael, but so does a certain ex-Anten assassin. And when all is said and done, which side will Melfina choose?  
  
"You should be back in prison," said Mr. Town. "You should be on f**king death row."  
  
"I didn't kill your associates," said Shadow. "But I'll tell you something I've never forgotten."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"There was only one guy in the whole Bible Jesus ever personally promised a place with him in Paradise. Not Peter, not Paul, not any of those guys. He was a convicted thief, being executed. So don't knock the guys on death row. Maybe they know something you don't."  
  
-- from American Gods, by Neil Gaiman, creator of Sandman, and my current idol.  
  
  
  
Dark Prophet  
  
Chapter 4: Revenge  
  
  
  
"So it was a trick. A stupid trick, and we fell for it."  
  
Jim shrugged. "Well, it was pretty smart of him to tag a comet and—"  
  
"Shut UP, Jim," Gene growled. "We still have no clue where Melfina is."  
  
Annie started to open her mouth.  
  
"Hold it! Just because YOU fell for the trick doesn't mean you can take it out on Jim!" Aisha shouted.  
  
"When I want your opinion, I'll throw a rock at you!" Gene yelled.  
  
"Hey, leave Aisha alone!" Jim cried. "She was only trying to help!"  
  
Annie watched the three argue for a few more minutes before she finally realized they weren't going to stop. She carefully picked up Aisha's tail, took a deep breath, and bit down on it.  
  
"YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!" Aisha screamed, drowning out everyone else.  
  
Jim and Gene both traded "that-kid's-soooo-dead" looks and backed up quickly.  
  
Aisha grabbed her tail and stroked it gently, whimpering as she looked down at the little girl. "Annie…WHY?!"  
  
"I'm really, really sorry, Aisha, but no one was listening to me." She hugged Aisha's leg. "I promise I won't ever do it again."  
  
Aisha sighed and patted the girl's head. "Yeah, well…this better be REAL important, kiddo."  
  
"It is." Annie walked over to the main console and started pressing buttons.  
  
"Hey, stop that!" Gene cried, slapping her hand away.  
  
"But Mr. Gene, the sad man is on there!"  
  
Gene stared at her. "Uh…that's nice and everything, but I don't—"  
  
"You don't understand! The sad man sent you something!"  
  
Jim blinked and peered over Annie's shoulder. "Oh. She means we've got a message, Gene. It doesn't say who it's from, though. It's been there since last night."  
  
"Doesn't ANYBODY check that thing?" Gene asked.  
  
"Guess not." Jim reached past Annie and hit a button.  
  
Instantly, the screen flickered, and a familiar face appeared.  
  
Aisha growled and bared her fangs.  
  
Gene and Jim both glared.  
  
Annie, however, had a much different reaction. She beamed and pointed. "It's sad man!"  
  
Everyone blinked and looked at her. "WHAT?!"  
  
"Annie, that's the guy that stole Melfina," Aisha explained.  
  
"What? But sad man wouldn't DO that. He saved me!"  
  
"Shut up, guys! He's talking!" Jim said, turning up the volume.  
  
"This message is for Gene Starwind and the rest of the Outlaw Star's crew. As you have no doubt guessed, I have Melfina. If you want her back, I suggest you meet me at the following coordinates."  
  
The screen changed to show a map with a red X on the location.  
  
"Oh, and you might want to hurry. I'm not waiting forever."  
  
Gene slammed his fists down on the console. "Gilliam, you know what to do."  
  
"Charting a flight plan right now, Gene."  
  
"See?" Annie asked. "He told us where the lady was! He's helping!"  
  
Gene started to say something, but Jim shot him a "just-let-it-go" look.  
  
"Okay, so that WAS pretty important." Aisha picked up Annie and held her at eye-level. "But if you EVER bite me again, I'm biting you back. We clear?"  
  
Annie nodded fearfully.  
  
Aisha smiled and swung the little girl onto her back. "Well, since you did help us find Mel, I'm stuffing your cute little tummy with ice cream. C'mon, kiddo."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"We'll be docking in five minutes, sir," Nova reported.  
  
"Excellent, Nova." Michael stood up and walked to the rear of the bridge, where he'd placed Melfina on a long table. "Nova? Activate code 47483829309, please."  
  
There was a brief pause, and then Melfina slowly opened her eyes. "M- Michael?" she whispered, her voice trembling.  
  
"Don't be afraid, Melfina. You're safe here."  
  
"Why? Why did you take me?"  
  
"I had to," Michael said with a sigh. "I know you don't understand that right now, but you will soon enough. For now, I just need you to trust me, Melfina." He reached down and brushed his fingertips against her cheek. "I am sorry for all this, but there is no other way. I can't just…leave them there, in service to Hazanko."  
  
Melfina blinked and tried to reach for his hand, only to find that she couldn't move her own. "What…I can't…move!"  
  
"I'm sorry," Michael repeated. "It has to be this way. You're supposed to be my prisoner, and it has to look convincing. I've asked Nova to limit your movement."  
  
"I don't understand. You're…not going to hand me over to Hazanko?"  
  
"Yes and no. I will have to give you up, but only for a while. Once it's safe, I'll rescue you myself."  
  
"But, Michael, you can't defeat the Anten Seven alone! They'll destroy you!"  
  
Michael smiled. "I won't have to defeat them. They're the ones I'm trying to save."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"A ship approaching, Lord Hazanko," Hanmushi announced.  
  
Hazanko raised his head. "Identify it at once."  
  
"It's the Black Nova, Lord. Requesting permission to dock now."  
  
Hazanko was silent for a moment. "Do you see the XGP?"  
  
Hanmushi almost seemed to pale beneath her mask. "No, Lord. He has Melfina."  
  
Hazanko frowned, then nodded. "Permission granted. Have the others meet here at once. It's time we discussed our plans for the Galactic Leyline…and if our friend here has jeopardized them, he will pay dearly…"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Hitorega remained silent when the doors slid open. However, his hand tightened on his sword.  
  
Michael came into view seconds later, carrying Melfina in his arms. "Sorry for the wait."  
  
"Tell that to Lord Hazanko. He wants to see you right away."  
  
"Then let's not keep him waiting." He glanced at the bird on his shoulder. "Nova, keep the ship prepped. We'll be leaving soon."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Leaving?" Hitorega asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice. "For where?"  
  
"The Galactic Leyline, of course," Michael replied. "Where else would we be going?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Gene…what IS that thing?"  
  
"No idea, Jim. But if that's where Melfina is, that's where we're going."  
  
"We are just outside of the Leyline," Gilliam reported. "However, my sensors indicate that it would be extremely dangerous to enter at this time. Chances of our collective survival are 5.09 %, and individual survival rates are even less."  
  
"So you're saying we shouldn't go in," Gene said after a moment. "And what do you suggest we do while Melfina is in the hands of that madman?!"  
  
"Gene, we can't enter the Galactic Leyline safely without Melfina. Navigation is key at this point, and I refuse to let you try something so senseless and risk all our lives in the process."  
  
The ship suddenly grew dim, and the engines could be heard shutting down.  
  
"I have placed the ship in sleep mode. I suggest you all get some rest. It would appear that our 'madman' has yet to arrive, and there is no sign of any other ship for miles around. Good night."  
  
"Maybe Gilliam's right," Jim added. "This doesn't seem too smart without Mel here to guide us."  
  
"Tell that to her," Gene snapped. "Oh, wait, you can't. She's been kidnapped by pirates that just want to use her as a key. With any luck, they'll just kill her when they're done, instead of torturing her to death. Thanks for reminding me, Jim."  
  
Aisha growled and slapped Gene across the cheek. "Listen up, Starwind! None of us had a chance of stopping that guy! Even if we had been able to hold him off, he knew the ship's codes and would've just turned Gilliam against us! So stop whining about your girlfriend and be a man! A true Ctarl-Ctarl would never give up hope, even when the deck's stacked against him!"  
  
Gene stared at her for a long moment, then smirked. "Yeah, but I'm not a Ctarl-Ctarl."  
  
Aisha shrugged. "Well, nobody's perfect. 'Cept me, of course."  
  
Gene "accidentally" stepped on Aisha's tail. "That's for the slap."  
  
"YAAAAAAAAIIIIII!!!" Aisha screamed. "GENE STARWIND, GET BACK HERE!" she yelled, chasing him through the ship.  
  
"What's gonna happen when she catches him?" Annie asked.  
  
Jim chuckled. "I'll tell you when you're older."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So, my dear. We meet at last." Hazanko ran his index finger along Melfina's chin. "She seems a bit stiff."  
  
"I've shut down all her functions, Lord," Michael replied. "I didn't think you'd want to hear what she had to say."  
  
"Very perceptive of you." Hazanko's face seemed to darken. "Although it would've been much more perceptive of you to bring me the XGP, as well…"  
  
"My most humble apologies, Lord. There were some…unforeseen difficulties."  
  
"Such as?" Hazanko pressed.  
  
"A small girl."  
  
"You mean to tell me that all that stands between me and the Galactic Leyline is a small girl?!" Hazanko roared.  
  
"I had no way of knowing who she was, Lord. If she was a relative of someone important, it would've endangered the mission."  
  
Hazanko grabbed Michael by the throat. "NO ONE…is more important than the Leyline, boy. Not even you." He squeezed tighter. "Besides, the power of the Leyline is infinite. Anyone killed by mistake could be revived." Hazanko's eyes narrowed. "Now, since you have brought me Melfina, I assume you have a plan to get the XGP as well. But there will be no more…difficulties. Do you understand?"  
  
Although it was extremely difficult to do so, Michael managed to nod.  
  
Hazanko tossed him to the floor. "Good. Then go back to your ship and bring me the XGP. Hamniyo and Hitorega will accompany you, so don't even think of failing a second time."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Wake up, Annie. I need to speak with you."  
  
Annie slowly opened her eyes. "Oh, why'd you wake me, Aisha? I was having the greatest dream…"  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not Aisha."  
  
Annie blinked and sat up, only to find a familiar face floating over her bed. "Sad man!" she cried. "It's you!"  
  
Aisha grunted in her sleep and rolled over.  
  
"It's good to see you again, little one," the hologram said. "Listen carefully. I'll be there shortly, but you must promise me something. Whatever it takes, you must keep Gene and the others from attacking my ship. Make sure he knows that Melfina is safe with me."  
  
"Okay. How do I do that?"  
  
"Just tell Jim. He'll know what to do."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So what happens when we get to the Leyline, Michael?" Hamniyo asked.  
  
"Nova will guide us in. The rest should be fairly simple."  
  
"But…I thought we needed Melfina to do that?"  
  
"You were wrong, then," Hitorega replied. "This ship can easily penetrate the Leyline."  
  
Hamniyo looked confused. "But…if this ship could do that, then why do we need the XGP?"  
  
"We don't," Hitorega answered. "But Lord Hazanko doesn't seem to know that."  
  
"Then…we don't need Melfina, either?"  
  
"Certainly," Michael said. "She's the only one that can keep the XGP's crew from firing on us at this point. Nova can only control the Outlaw Star, not the people inside it."  
  
"Wait, I don't understand. If Nova can do all that, then why does Lord Hazanko think the XGP is the best ship in the universe?"  
  
"Because it is. But this ship just happens to be the blueprint for it. Every inch of the XGP was based on this very ship."  
  
Hamniyo stared at him in disbelief. "But that's crazy! How could Lord Hazanko not know that?"  
  
"Hazanko isn't the only one who can keep secrets and files hidden, Hamniyo. Nova, let me know as soon as we're in range of the XGP."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"There it is." Jim bit his lip as the Black Nova appeared on the main screen.  
  
"Are you sure we shouldn't fire?" Aisha asked again.  
  
"We might hurt Melfina," Gene replied.  
  
"But said man said she was safe with him," Annie said. "He told me so!"  
  
Without warning, Michael's face appeared on the screen. Strangely enough, so did Melfina's.  
  
"I take it you got Annie's message, then?" he asked.  
  
Gene nodded.  
  
Michael nodded at the child. "Good girl."  
  
Annie beamed.  
  
"As you can see, Melfina is fine."  
  
"I'd rather hear that from her, pal," Gene snapped.  
  
"I'm okay, Gene," Melfina reassured him. "He won't hurt me."  
  
"Then why'd he take you in the first place?"  
  
"We don't have time for this," Michael interrupted, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Hazanko is trailing us, no doubt, and he'll be here soon."  
  
"Hazanko?" Jim whispered.  
  
"Yes. Only a fool would trust his servants to deliver the Leyline to him. He'll expect to find you imprisoned, and if we work together, we can convince him of that."  
  
Gene frowned. "I don't like your plan. What sort of game are you playing at?"  
  
"No game, Gene. Only a ruse. Frankly, it's the only way all of us will get out of here safely, so I don't see how you have much of a choice."  
  
"You have to trust him, Gene," Melfina said, her eyes pleading with him. "Please?"  
  
Gene sighed and shook his head. "So what's this ruse of yours?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Hazanko sneered at Gene's bloody face. "I should kill you now, for all the trouble you've caused me, Starwind."  
  
"Yeah, maybe you should," Gene grunted. "Your breath isn't exactly minty fresh."  
  
Hitoerga's boot crashed into Gene's face. "Infidel! How dare you insult Lord Hazanko?!"  
  
"Gene!" Melfina cried, trying to shield him with her body. Jim, Aisha, and Annie gathered around Gene protectively.  
  
"Enough." Hazanko waved his hand, and an unseen force pulled Melfina away from Gene and shoved her forward. "Take your place, Melfina. Do it and open the gate. Now!"  
  
Fearfully, Melfina walked over to the gate. It was a massive stone structure, with a kind of sunken pedestal blocking the entrance. Melfina slowly stepped onto the pedestal. Instantly, stone pillars rose on either side of her.  
  
"The Maiden has returned," a voice announced. "Secure the Maiden."  
  
Melfina shrieked as the pillars changed shape, trapping her wrists within them. The pedestal sank down into the floor, encasing her in stone from the waist down.  
  
"Leyline Project Command: It was you who broke my Mason plate," Hazanko said.  
  
Melfina's brown eyes seemed to lose their color.  
  
"Password accepted. You may enter the gate."  
  
Melfina's platform receded into the darkness of the gate, exposing a pathway.  
  
"There, you see, Starwind?" Hazanko asked. "Melfina is nothing but a puppet, just as I told you. But don't feel bad. She is a star in the greatest play of all." With that, he turned and entered the gate. "Bring them!" he called. "I want them all to see this."  
  
Michael frowned, then prodded Gene with his sword. "Go."  
  
They came upon a brown, sprawling, spiral like structure that seemed to be very ancient. At the very top was an empty black pool, just large enough for a face.  
  
Melfina's platform sank into the midst of the structure, and the brown vines coiled around her.  
  
A face exactly like Melfina's emerged in the black pool. "You who have returned the Maiden," she said, looking at Hazanko. "What is thy desire?"  
  
"Power," Hazanko whispered, his eyes shining. "So much power that even the Emperor would have to bow before me!"  
  
"That is thy desire?"  
  
"It is."  
  
There was a long moment of silence.  
  
Finally, the face replied, "Cannot grant request. The Guardian has been altered."  
  
"What?!" Hazanko roared.  
  
"Cannot grant request," she repeated. "The Guardi-"  
  
"What foolishness is this?! Nothing's been done to Melfina! Nothing--!" Hazanko froze and looked at Gene. "You! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Gene asked. "I didn't-"  
  
"YOU'VE DEFILED THE MAIDEN!" Hazanko screamed.  
  
Gene's eyes narrowed. "Sorry, I think I'd remember if I'd done something like that."  
  
"Does he mean what I think he means?" Jim whispered.  
  
Aisha smirked. "I'll tell you when you're older."  
  
"You can't know what you've done!" Hazanko shouted, his eyes glowing red. "You've tainted her! She's worthless! Melfina can't access the Leyline now!"  
  
Melfina's head suddenly lifted. "No," she whispered in a deep voice. "But I can."  
  
Hazanko whirled around, his eyes widening in confusion, and then recognition. "Boy?"  
  
"My name," said Melfina, glaring at him, "is Michael."  
  
Melfina's body suddenly shimmered and melted away, revealing that it wasn't Melfina at all. Instantly, the person who had been holding a sword against Gene's back changed as well.  
  
"The Master has returned," a voice said. "The Master has returned."  
  
The face in the black fool twisted until it was no longer Melfina's, but Michael's. "The Guardian has been restored."  
  
"Leyline Project Command: Access Gilliam I."  
  
Hazanko turned again, shocked to see that Melfina had said the words.  
  
Michael's body began to glow bright red.  
  
The face slowly began to expand until it was three times larger. It moved forward to loom over them all, frozen in an expression of anger.  
  
"Now, Hazanko," Michael whispered coldly, as did the face, "make your wish again, and see if I grant it."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Concluded in Chapter 5: Family  
  
Michael taps into the Leyline's power, and two old friends return to help in the battle against Hazanko. Betrayals aplenty, and some action, too… 


End file.
